Can you believe we’re already halfway through the year? It feels like I gave you suggestions for the first half the year just the other day.

In January I promised I would be back this summer to give you the rest of the monthly mini challenges for 2017. If you want to check out the challenges for the first half of this year again, here they are. You don’t have to do them in order. They’re suggestions to help you out each month in case you get stumped.

But if you have done them, that’s great. Here are six more to keep you going throughout the rest of the year.

July: Learn to cook healthy new meals. Sometimes we can get into a meal rut and repeat the same meals week after week. It’s good to mix things up and try new recipes. Crunched for time? Aim to add one new meal per week to start. Look online and get your family involved. When you shop together and prepare meals together, it can be more fun for even the pickiest eaters to try new meals.

August: Stay hydrated. We can get dehydrated especially during the hot summer months and not realize it until it’s too late. The summer months can call for more barbecues and summer parties with alcoholic beverages. Rather than sugary alcoholic beverages or pop/soda, make your water fun by adding fruit for flavour or make iced tea with green tea, rooibos tea, or other herbal tea. Just remember to skip the sugar. You might not realize you’re dehydrated in the hot weather until you are, so be sure to keep a beverage with you, especially when out in the hot, summer sun.

September: Brown bag your lunch. Your work week might include lunches out with co-workers that are perhaps not always be the healthiest. This month, make your lunch to bring with you a few times per week. Not only will you know what’s in your food when you make it yourself, but it can save you some money as well. If you will miss out on socializing with the gang, make the most of the days you do go out for lunch with them. Who knows, you might inspire some of them to make their lunches and eat in with you.

October: Take time to chew your food. This seems to be a no-brainer, but when rushed or really hungry, there might only be a few chews before food is swallowed. You can help improve your digestion by taking time to chew your food until it becomes a paste. Digestion begins in your mouth with the digestive enzymes in your saliva. Chewing your food really well also slows you down and can help prevent you from overeating.

November: Set aside some “me” time. Sometimes hobbies and time to be alone with your thoughts are low on the list of priorities. Being busy might not allow for any of that. Scheduling appointments, kids’ activities, and work can push time for your own interests and reflection aside. This month, pencil in some time to enjoy hobbies you might not have done in a while, or for a relaxing bath or to meditate, read, or journal. Doing things you enjoy that are just for you can help you de-stress and recharge your batteries.

December: Bring healthy snacks with you. Sometimes when you’re out and about and hunger strikes, you might find yourself turning to food like donuts, potato chips, or cookies. This month can expose you to more sugary treats than normal with Christmas baking, so having snacks on hand can help you make healthier choices. Make your own trail mix, bring cut up apples or pears with nut butter, roasted chickpeas, or almonds.

Enlist a friend to do the monthly challenges with if you find have great intentions at first but then get off track after a while. Like I said before, social media can help keep you accountable, but if you don’t want to make it public, you can keep it between a friend or family member offline. A reward could help such as a new cookbook, pair of running shoes, or yoga pants when you incorporate a certain number of new, healthy habits. Let me know how it goes.

Some people have no problem falling asleep and staying asleep when it’s time for bed. Others watch the time go by while waiting for sleep to come—and it doesn’t for a long time. Then there are people have no problem falling asleep but before long, they’re awake again in the middle of the night.

If this sounds like you and relaxing music, reading, a warm bath, or a sleeping mask haven’t helped, maybe it’s time to try something new.

Dangers of Sleep Loss

Do you think that you can get by with only four or five hours of sleep per night? Maybe you threw in the towel thinking there’s not much you can do. If you think it’s okay because caffeinated beverages keep you from nodding off at work, think again.

Not getting enough sleep night after night, week after week, month after month can really have a negative effect on your health. It’s more serious than bad moods and daytime sleepiness. In a study of 1,024 participants, it was found that short sleep duration was associated with higher ghrelin and lower leptin, which are hormones that regulate appetite. Those who slept less than eight hours (74.4% of participants) had a higher BMI (body mass index).

Not only can a lack of sleep increase your BMI, but it can also increase your risk of accidents while driving and on the job due to drowsiness and slow reaction times. Not getting enough shut eye is also associated with diabetes as well as stroke and heart disease, and depression.

These are just some of the many possible negative effects of getting less than seven hours’ sleep per night. Along with taking steps such as making sure your bedroom is dark, turning off screens an hour before bed, going to sleep at a consistent time every night, and exercising during the day, there are foods and beverages that can help you sleep better.

Grab a Banana

A banana can help you sleep better because it contains both magnesium and potassium. They help relax your muscles and can help with aches you may have. When stressed, magnesium can be depleted, so getting enough magnesium is important. Also, the tryptophan in bananas converts to the calming hormones melatonin and serotonin. Other foods that contain tryptophan include beans, eggs, fish, turkey, seeds, and nuts.

Brew a Cup of Chamomile Tea

The caffeine in coffee will keep you up, but drinking chamomile tea in the evening can help you get to sleep. It can help calm you and could become a part of a bedtime ritual.

Drink Tart Cherry Juice

Studies show that tart cherries and tart cherry juice, which contain melatonin, can aid sleep. In one study, adults drank two glasses of tart cherry juice per day and slept an average of 39 minutes longer. Another study had twenty participants drink a glass of tart cherry juice when they woke up and another at bedtime for seven days. They found that the participants also slept longer, spent more of their time in bed sleeping, and napped less.

You might be tempted to drink sweet cherry juice for the taste, but since it has less melatonin, you’d be better off sticking with tart. Eating dried cherries won’t help because they don’t contain any melatonin.

Other Sources of Melatonin

Looking for other sources of melatonin? You’ll find it in goji berries, almonds, walnuts, orange bell peppers, tomatoes, flaxseeds, and pineapples. A breakfast favourite, oatmeal, which also contains melatonin, can be enjoyed at night.

Consume Away from Bedtime

Before you go to bed, it’s wise to avoid drinking alcohol because while it might seem like it helps you sleep, it can disrupt your sleep. You likely remember waking up after drinking the night before feeling unrested.

Timing eating and drinking food and drinks that contain caffeine, like dark chocolate, pop, and coffee is important. It’s a good idea to stop caffeine at least eight hours before you go to bed. You might have to stop caffeine even earlier in the day if you’re sensitive to it.

Look at what you’re eating and drinking if you find you’re having problems sleeping. While what you eat and drink aren’t the only things that affect your sleep, looking at your diet is a good place to start.